Why You May Start to Feel Less Bloated Very Soon

The salt shaker is not exactly your best friend when you're feeling bloated. But it’s not just the table salt you add to food that’s upping your daily sodium intake and making you feel like you're busting out of your jeans. There’s salt lurking in tons of the packaged foods we consume, from cottage cheese to marinara sauce and bread. (Even certain brands of chicken breasts contain added salt.) But thanks to new guidelines issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) earlier this month, it's going to get a little easier to score eats that don't secretly pack tons of sodium.

Here's what's going down: The FDA set targets for the gradual reduction of sodium in packaged and prepared foods over the next 10 years in an effort to help consumers reduce their daily salt consumption. (The average American consumes 3,400 milligrams a day.) Sounds like a smart plan, eh? We rang up some experts to find out just how beneficial the new guidelines will be for your bloat.

How Much Sodium Do You Really Need?
In general, the 2,300 milligrams a day the federal government recommends is a good target for healthy, active individuals, says Jim White, R.D.N., owner of Jim White Fitness & Nutrition Studios in Virginia. Endurance athletes tend to need more because being ultra-hydrated (a.k.a chugging water during marathon training) depletes your electrolytes. But if you’re just going to workout classes or running a few miles four our five times a week, you probably getting plenty of salt through your diet. You also shouldn’t try to avoid salt altogether, as sodium is responsible for regulating your body’s fluids and blood pressure, and keeping your nerves and muscles functioning properly.

“When you do have a night of high-sodium, high-carbohydrate food it can cause bloating, but it’s a short term thing,” says White. “Once you work out and go through the day, flush it out, and drink water, it goes away.”

But sodium isn’t the only reason you might be feeling a little puffy, according to Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Spokesperson Alissa Rumsey, R.D., C.S.C.S. These things could also be to blame:

Eating too quickly. Gobbling down a meal causes you to swallow more air, which can cause bloat or worsen it, says Rumsey. “Meals should last at least 30 minutes. This allows you to better listen to your body and stop eating when you feel full.”

Hormones. A week or two before your period, your estrogen levels increase and progesterone levels decrease, which can cause your body to retain more water than usual, Rumsey explains.

Alcohol. Having a few too many drinks can slow stomach emptying, which is why you might feel heavy and bloated after you drink a lot, says Rumsey. Even just a couple drinks can cause you to retain extra water, making you feel more puffy and bloated. “This is exacerbated by alcohol's diuretic effect, as a dehydrated body will retain more water than a hydrated one,” says Rumsey.

Carbonated beverages. Sorry, LaCroix lovers: Bubbly drinks can increase gas and distension in your digestive track. If you’re feeling bloated, seltzer or soda water could also be to blame.

The Bottom Line
Your bloating may or may not be a result of eating too much salt, but cutting back can reduce your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease, says Rumsey, and the new guidelines can help with less effort on your part.

“While the guidelines are voluntary, many companies have already started to slowly reduce the amount of sodium in their products. These new guidelines from the FDA have given companies specific targets to shoot for,” she says. But the best way to improve your health? Focus on eating more whole, real foods, says Rumsey, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fat from oils, nuts, and seeds, and lean protein

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